Forget what it's called, Iona is still playing basketball

Mar. 23, 2011

Written by

Sam Borden

Journal News columnist

NEW ROCHELLE — Insulting postseason basketball tournaments that don't involve bracket pools, "One Shining Moment" or Gus Johnson is an age-old tradition that goes all the way back to the mid-1970's when David Thompson succinctly summed up why North Carolina State — the 1974 national champions — decided to (not so) politely decline an invitation to play in the 1975 NIT.

"It's a loser's tournament," Thompson said. Right. Thompson, of course, wasn't — and isn't — alone. Over the years, several other schools, including Georgetown and Georgia Tech, have followed N.C. State's lead and turned down chances to play in the NIT once their NCAA bubbles burst. UCLA? They've got plenty of banners for NCAA national championships hanging from the rafters at Pauley Pavilion but you won't see one for the 1985 NIT title there. Even the name has become a dig. What does NIT stand for? Take your pick: Not Invited Tournament, Not In Tournament, Nobody's Interested Tournament ... The list goes on.

I'll admit, I was right there with everyone else. In the past few years, there have been even more consolation tournaments created in college basketball, all of which inspired a reaction similar to the one former Yankee Gary Sheffield had when he was asked, back in 2005, if he had any interest in leaving spring training to go play in the inaugural World Baseball Classic.

"No way," Sheffield said then. "I'm not playing in something that's made up."

Now, to be fair, the "College Basketball Invitational" and the "CollegeInsider.com Tournament" are absolutely both "something that's made up," but after watching Iona beat Buffalo, 78-63 in the quarterfinals of the CollegeInsider.com tournament on Tuesday night, I'm starting to come around a little.

Understand, it isn't about the title. Even if the Gaels get two more victories and become "CollegeInsider.com Tournament Champions," I'm sure most players on the roster (and most people on campus) will remember the disappointment of seeing an automatic March Madness bid slip away more than the joy (I guess?) that comes with getting some trophy with ".com" on it.

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No, the value of these tournaments has to be simpler. It has to just be about one more game, one more chance to play. For those who love basketball, those who hate the arrival of spring because it means the end to another season on the court, these tournaments are a temporary reprieve.

This tournament, this game, was more about one more chance for Scott Machado to steal the ball, run the break and leave it for Mike Glover and the hammer. One more chance for Alejo Rodriguez to come down the lane and finish a follow-slam that brought everyone in the Hynes Center to their feet.

Who does it hurt? Even Gaels coach Tim Cluess admitted he wasn't the biggest fan of these events before this season, but going to Valparaiso and winning, then watching his players run up and down in front of their home fans again on Tuesday changed Cluess' mind. "Now, I'm all for it," he said.

Senior Jermel Jenkins, who had a career-high 23 points, shrugged when he was asked about playing. "We all love basketball," he said, "so whenever you've got a chance to play in a postseason tournament ... you want to take it."

Once you see it, it makes more sense. College football has the bowl system, and while it (rightly) is maligned for its gross attachment to sponsorship (personal favorite: The Poulan-Weedeater Independence Bowl), many of these same arguments are made by those who support it. Do the bowl games mean much? Hardly. But if you want one more chance to get dirty, one more chance to run a deep route and catch a pass and shimmy in the end zone, sometimes the Tobacco Bowl (actually existed) is all you've got left.

This year, CollegeInsider.com is all the Gaels had left. They had their chance at the NCAAs, were one win away up in Bridgeport, Conn., but couldn't finish the job against St. Peter's. On Selection Sunday, they had to watch the big brackets go up without their name in it.

In the past, their season would have been over. No more practices, no more games, no more chances to put on their sneakers and slip on their jerseys and do their intricate handshakes with each other during pregame introductions.

Instead, they got to keep playing. Got another game. At the end of the second half Tuesday, Glover got a nice ovation when he was substituted. Same for Machado and Jenkins and Rashon Dwight. It was another night's work, another chance to play for people who love the game more than anything. Whatever you think of the tournament itself, there really isn't anything wrong with that.